The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-22
PACIFIC RAILROAD INVESTIGATION.
C. P. Huntington Proves To Be Very ORA
matte but Not Very Satisfactory Witness.

NEW YORK, Sept. 2I-The Pacific Railroad
! commission resumed It's examination this morn
! ing. Mr. Cohen, in 80 requests for
vouchers to large disbursement. made by Mr.
Hunting ton, stated that Governor Stanford had
refused to forward them, as the commission had
already great many important documents Of
the company which 1t had failed TO return. He
with the commission.
@. p. Huntington was particularly questioned
With reference to those vouchers which bear his
eignature, and appear TO be for illegal services
and expense account" Il ali happened so long
ago that the witness could not remember ex-
actly how this money had been used. He was
certain that none of ir was used for any but
legal and proper parposes Mr.. Anderson asked
the witness il he thought IL proper to use this
money in the payment OF large fees to members
OF Congress at the time bills OF great pecuniary
interest to the Central Pacific Company were
pending, and before the feed members had voted
thereon. Witness answered: 81 should hesitate
before paying such a fee. OF course. when we
wanted legal advice. and we required il fire.
quently, we always wanted the best I don't re-
member any such case as that you suggest" A
similar question was asked with reference to
Territorial officers and friends Of Congressman.
and Mr, Huntington replied that he knew very
little OF Whist was transpiring west Of the Mis-
souri river He could not inquire if every man
retained was a friend of some congressman. Mr..
Huntington said that between 1872 and the pres
emit time there had been many bills in Congress af-
feeling the Central Pacific company, and il was
necessary to collect great deal of information
regarding the road for the information of mem
bers OF Congress. and this cost great deal OF
money. IL was also necessary to retain and
employ men TO approach Congressmen and ex-
plain to them just how matters stood. Que
could not see all of these legislators and is
was necessary for q great many act Some
CongressmeH would not talk 30 me or to any
body unless it was with constituent, and it was
them all. Some were thin-skinned and afraid
they were being approached for unlawful pur-
poses. snd 1t Was difficult to get knowledge Of
the true state of affairs to them. Witness said
it was lively times for the Central Pacific while
Tom SCOTS project was before Congress. Wit
ness wrote great many letters TO ID. b. Cotton
stolen from the cafe in San Francisco, Four
agents of Colton's Administrative had tried to
sell them to Witness but he declined to buy.
The commissioners procured copies of theEs let
ters With the names omitted, being enjoined In
San Francisco by the Central Pacific fro m pro-
ducine the names ard originals. Witness de-
clned TO fill the blank in one letter in which he
characterized California Congressman as a |!
id hog" In another he said he bad
switched" certain Senators to bis side. but that
they could be switched back" This, he ex- !
planned. meant that they could be brought back |
20 the Union Pacific side by proper argument, |
Witness did not believe he wrote the sentences: |
Il believe with $500 900 pass our bill, but
think it is not worth that 10 U.S. Mr.. Hunting |
ton was beginning to get excited. and exclaimed |
q
/ would not be willing to have published |
TO the world and posted every bulletin" |
Az TO the meaning of tho sentence, sit costs |
money to fix these things" he said that the FIX
ing was done by proper argument. and had no
reference to money He continued: II never /
used money to influence congressman. It would /
be strange IL among the 400 there should not be
some corrupt men. though Eighteen hundred
years ago the best man that ever lived got to- |
gether twelve men, and l6 2-3 per cent of them
were short weight"
Mr.. Huntington said that he did not think |
that Scott ever paid offered to paw for votes |
OF naemb ere of Congress-. As to his statement !
ir another letter that the committee railroaas |
of the House fixed up for Scott the witness |
said: 81 don't think that anybody was bought |
with money. That would be monstrous If |
they were influenced. it only in a proper
Here the witness began to get angry
with the suggestions In Mr. Anderson's inter |
that there something venal in !
tho language OF h!s letters. and he proceeded
% make impassoned speech. He
said: "A lot of shin-skinned politicians
are always ready to place q wrong
my language and ! see that ir
has disturbed this commission / know /
that what wrote all right and is all sus-
reptibie of innocent construction; bur perhaps
it, would be as well not to publish the let !
ters. though there is nothing in them but what |
isirght and based on high grounds" He said,
81 have spent twenty-five of the |
best Years Of my life in oenefttina the public
and the government in this matter, and |
receive nothing but kicks and rebufs from !